Adjustable aeroplane wing



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A TTORNE YS.

Dec. 19, 1922.

1,439,127. C. F. R'OCHEVILLE. ADJUSTABLE AEHOPLANE WING.

mso JuLY 21. 1921. 2 sums-sum z.

INV'ENTOR.

Chr/e.:l fwew//e BY Wm M 771mg A TTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. '19, 1922..

iff er CHAR-LES F. RGCHEVILLE, 0F SAN DEEGO, CALIFORNIA, `.rSSIG-NOR WEITZL, 0F SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

'ro sanar n,

appncanon 'med July a7,

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that 1,.. CHARLES F. RocHEviLLn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of San Diego, in the county of San Diego, State of California, have invented new and useful.Improvements in an Adjustable Aeroplane idling, olf which the,l following is a specification.

This invention relates to an vaeroplane wing and pertains,particularly to a wing so constructed that the angle ot incidence of the rear or trailing `portion of the wing be varied. i

A desideratum in aeroplanes is a construction such that the space required .for the take-0E and landing` is small, while the speed when in the air is great. The lift .of a plane is dependent upon the angle of` in# cidence. lVith a large angle of incidence, a large litt is required. However, a large angle oit incidence decreases the. drift or` speed ot the plane. Myinvention` contem plates a plane which may be` `adjusted or warped to provide a largeangle otincidence on taking ott, then this angle may be decreased to permit speed iniiying, and on landing, the angle may again be decreased, which facilitates Aa slow landing. To this end l provide a plane havinga torward or entering edge portion, which is maintained fixed, and` `a trailing portion which may be` moved through a limited angle to vary the angle of incidence.`

The above mentioned objects together with other objects relating to detailsl ot design for securing a simple` easily manipulated, strong structure are obtained by means oit the embodiment ot my invention illus-` trated in the accompanying drawings, iu which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a wing with part of the covering broken away, and a fragment of the fuselage shown in section; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the wing control; Fig. 3 is an elevation of a rib spacing rod; Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on. the line 4-4 ot Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation talren on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the inner end of the wing with the covering removed to show details of t-he structure,I whereby it is connected to the fuselage.`

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, a fragment ot the fuselage is indicated by 7. Secured thereto are sleeves or spars S 1921. semaine. 487,909.

andf) to `receive rods 10and1l forming parts of the wing. rThe wing shown herein is equipped with a tip `121to provide for transverse control. However, this forms no 'feature oi my invention. Any other of the well known types of transverse control may be used. i

Mounted upon rods 10 and 11 at the inner end is a iixed rib 14. Spaced along the rods are ribs 15. The ribs 15 are fixed in posi tion, and are similar except for their outline, which conforms with the change in shape of the wing from its inner to its outer end. Rib let is ellipsoidal inv shape, land `is fixed to rods 10 and 11 which extend through `openings therein. .Extending transversely. to the major axis of the rib 1li adjacent rod 111is a wing control member 16, best shown in Fig. 2. The lower edge of the control member is stepped, as indicated` by 17 and the member isslidably disposed in the ribs, beingmounted upon spoolshaped rollers 18 -journalled upon `the ribs. inclined slots or ways 19, there being one way for each rib. Pivotallyfmounted upon Thecontrol member is provided with, y

the rod 1() are trailingedge ribs 20. There trailing edge rib for each Xed/rib. Fixedto the forward end ot each trailing edge rib isa pintle, upon which is journailed a roller 21 disposed in a way ofthe p control member` `16 and maintaining" the, trailing edge ribs in adjusted position. 1n order to hold the trailing edge ribs in proper' spacedl relation with respect to thefxed ribs. a spacing rod 22 is secured adjacent the 'forward end oit' each rib. The ribs 1,5 arev provided with openings 23, see Fig. 5, through which the rod` 22 entends, therebyy permitting a swinging movement ofthe trailing edge ribs without interference. The rib 111 is provided with an arcuate slot 24;, through which the rod 22 extends. Mounted upon the inner end of the spacing rod 22 are rollers 25 engaging opposite sides of rib 14, thereby maintaining the ribs in position with respect to the fixed rib 14E. It is obvious that by sliding the control member 16 inwardly and outwardly, the trailing edge ribs will be raised and lowered;

The rods 10 and 11 slipped into the CII it, a ring 26 is secured to the fuselage and is `provided with openings to( which turnend is anr attachment ring 28 of substantially s the same shape as the outermost rib l5. This ring 28 is provided with openings, whereby cables maybe strung from ring 26 to ring28, being attached to ring 26 by means of the turnbuck'les 27. These cables are not shown in the drawing as they forni no partei the invention, but are referred to herein to show a meal'is of bracing the wing and holding the latter in position on the fuselage.` The fixed rib rportion of thefwing is covered by a sheet 29 ending close to the trailing edge rib portion, but permitting rocking movement of the trailing edge ribs. The" trailing edge ribs are also covered by a sheet 30, so that the wing in its final form has the ribs entirely covered. lt is obvious that the covering 29 and 30 may be of metal.`

The control member 16 is connectedy by any suitable actuating mechanism located conveniently ior operation bythe aviator. Moving the control member 16 inwardly rocks all of the trailing edge ribs so that the rear edge of the wing is tipped downwardly, and the angle of incidence is increased. ln this position the aeroplane is ready to take off; The angle of incidence being great, the lift isrelatively great, and a` small space is required for ascending. After the aero-l plane has reached an elevation suitable for travelling forward, the `control member 16 is moved inwardly rocking the trailing edge ribs? upwardly so that the angle of incidence Vis decreased. vThe aeroplane is now in condition for travelling forward at a high speed. When it is desired to land, the control member 1s vpulled inwardly and the angle of incidence oi the wing increased, therebydecreasing the speed ot' the plane necesl. In an aeroplane, a wing having an entering edge portion fixed, a trailing edgev portion having ribs pivotally mounted in the cntering'edg'e portion, and an adjust-A ment plate ior rocking said ribs simultaneously connected to the nose of said ribs.

2. n' an aeroplane, a wing having its entering edge portion fixed, a trailing edge portion having ribs pivotally mounted in the entering edge portion, each ofsaid ribs having a pintle at its nose, and an adjustment plate having inclined ways in which said pintles are disposed, whereby the trailingedge may be warped with respect to the enteringy edge.

3. in an aeroplane, a wing having its entering edge portion ifed and provided with a spar, a trailing edge portion having ribs pivotally -rnounted `onsaid spar so as to be warped with respect to the `entering edge portion to change' the angle of incidence, each of saidribs having a pintle at its nose, and a movable control bar having inclined ways in which said pintles are mounted so as to warp said' trailing' edge' portion,

In' witness'tha't I claim the foregoing l have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of July,ll92l.

* errantes r. RooHEvrLLn. 

